The Perils of Ebay: Not your Grannie's LYS

(Cross-posted with Knit Wits)

You might be knitting along doing the mindless stocking stitch, reflecting on life, love and the pursuit of happiness and chocolate smores in the one-two, one-two of the knit stitch; or you might be half-watching the West Wing or some other show on prime time that requires your attention; or you might be catching up on your F-list in a separate window when you notice the clock on your toolbar... and then you realise, you have only FIVE MINUTES LEFT! on your Ebay auction.

You click open a new window.

Dash for your bookmarked link.

CLICK!

And there it is. The luxury yarn you've been hoping you'd get for a song.

And the message: You have been outbid by another bidder.

3 minutes and 24 seconds left.

You bid.

You're outbid again.

You bid.

And you're still outbid.

Your heart is thumping hard against your chest as if it wants to go for a walk.

Shelob's Lair from the ROTK soundtrack is creeping out from your speakers... and it's NOT helping.

You bid again...

And...

Your computer freezes.

*AAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!*

No, wait, wait. There it goes...

And...

It's loading...

loading...

Quick glance at the clock. ONE MORE MINUTE!

And...

"CONGRATULATIONS! You've won this item!"

Then you sit back in your chair and try breathing at a normal pace. You have completely forgotten about whatever it was that Martin Sheen was saying on telly... something about another country having just launched nuclear warheads?

Whatever.

You smile.

You are now the proud owner of yarn... that you got for a song. (A slightly expensive song. But not nearly as much as if you'd have gotten it from a retail source.) You start dreaming about all the sweaters and scarves and hats and tea cosies you could make out of this yarn.

You feel the need for a cigarette.

And you don't even smoke.

Life... is good.


~*~

Any of you ever been through that? It's highly addictive.